Living on
by solstjerne
Summary: Oneshot: James get to know his parents has died. How will he react and who can help? Anyone? A certain redhead maybe? RR


A/N: My first kinda drama story, wanted to try something new so don't kill me. I don't know if it really is tragedy but it is kinda sad.  
  
This is my entry to a writing challenge of 2000 words or less.  
  
It's set in the marauders seventh and final year at Hogwarts so Lily and James are going out if this may confuse people. Enjoy   
  
Living on  
  
"Mr. Potter will you please follow me?" it was professor McGonagall.  
  
James stood up. Next to him Sirius had started to get up too but the professor had hold up a hand to stop him. James looked at Sirius and shrugged, then turned and followed the professor without saying a word. She looked serious, even for professor McGonagall.  
  
She led him to the big statue, which was the staircase to the headmaster's office.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore is expecting you," she said, still with the serious look on her face.  
  
James nodded slowly and stepped up on one of the steps as Professor McGonagall said the password and made the staircase move upwards.  
  
He stepped into the circular room where he found Professor Dumbledore and the minister of magic.  
  
James looked confused as he stepped closer to them. They all looked so serious, yet sad.  
  
"What's going on?" He finally managed to ask.  
  
"You better sit down James," The minister said.  
  
James didn't move.  
  
Dumbledore sighed sadly. "James, there has been another death eater attack," he said softly, "This time not on a muggle family."  
  
James looked confused even though he kind of knew where it was leading. He turned away.  
  
"They broke into your parents house in the dead of the night," Dumbledore continued.  
  
James' mouth was dry; he still wasn't facing the professor.  
  
"Your parents were both asleep at the time and didn't wake up before it was too late. They weren't fast enough to get their wands ready."  
  
His breath was getting shorter and shorter. He didn't want to hear anymore.  
  
"As far as we know they were killed by the spell 'Avada Kadavra' so there was no pain. They were killed by Lord Voldemort himself."  
  
This was too much for James. He couldn't bare hearing anymore of this. He ran out of the office as quick as he could.  
  
The minister was about to go after him, but Dumbledore held up a hand, which stopped him. "Let him be."  
  
James ran down the corridor. He had no idea where he was or should go. He didn't want to go back to the common room. Too many people would be there and he just wasn't ready. Dead, dead, dead. The words seemed to follow him as he turned a corner. He ran harder than ever before trying to get away from the voice in his head. He ended up on the grounds where he fell. He was breathing heavily, trying to calm himself. He fell into darkness.  
  
This had been three months ago. In the middle of the night he had woke up still feeling the voices haunting him. Somehow he had managed to come back to the common room. He had found Lily asleep by the fire, she had obviously been trying to stay awake to wait for him to come back.  
  
The memory of the night he had found out about his parents still hurt. He hadn't told Sirius, Remus or anyone. Not even Lily. She though, knew that something was wrong. He let the tears fall once again. The cold wind of November rushed over his body but he didn't want to go in yet. There would still be students in the common room at this hour.  
  
"James?" came a voice behind him.  
  
He knew who it was. He knew she would come looking for him or at least stay awake till when he came back.  
  
He turned away avoiding her gaze. He didn't want her to see him like this. This wasn't the James Potter he wanted her to know. He wanted her to see him as the funny, smart, and talented James Potter. Not the pathetic, crying, and now parent less James Potter.  
  
She sat down next to him and took her arm around him, pulling him closer to her. He still didn't look at her.  
  
"I found out what happened. Professor Dumbledore told me. He is worried about you, as well as everyone else," she said softly, careful not to cry. "It's alright James. I promise you, it's going to be all right.  
  
"How can it?" he said as if he was talking to the dark sky and not her. "I have lost everything. They are my only living family.  
  
He talked as if they were still alive. He wouldn't believe what they had told him. True they had told him three months ago, but the pain wouldn't let him believe.  
  
"You still got so much left," She answered, "all of your friends. Peter, Remus, Sirius." She paused and then continued in a lower voice, "me. We are all here for you James and we have no intention on letting you give up on that."  
  
James turned to look at her. He gazed through his teary eyes and met hers. They were shining in the moonlight. She was clearly about to cry too.  
  
"I just don't know what to do Lily?" He said honestly.  
  
"I don't know either James," She said, certainly an answer he hadn't expected, "There are some things in life you won't give up on. Some things you can't give up on. Some things you just have to live with. Some things other people help you with. In this case you shouldn't give up on things. You shouldn't give up on everything you love because you parents died. They would want you to live on, happy." She swallowed and let a single tear fall.  
  
James didn't answer. He sat for a long time, thinking about her words. This was what he loved about her. The way she always cared and helped even though everything seemed impossible.  
  
"It's not like I haven't been through this before," he quietly said.  
  
"I know, James. I know," she whispered. She wasn't sure what she could say to make him feel better. After all, it was his parents he had lost. And now he had no relatives left. He was the last Potter. For now. "I want you to know, that I'm here for you."  
  
James looked up into her green eyes once again, "I know," he said and collapsed into her arms.  
  
Lily held James for a long time. She didn't keep track of time; she knew he needed her there. A small tear slowly made it's way down her cheek but she quickly wiped it away.  
  
After a long time they finally got back to the common room, which was now empty, much to James' relief.  
  
They sat down on the couch next to the fire. They were both extremely cold. Being out in the end of November in the middle of the night wasn't recommended.  
  
James was the first to break the silence after a long pause. "Thank you, Lily. Because of you, I think I will be able to live on, at least after some time."  
  
Lily smiled at him and for the first time, she finally let her tears run freely, even though he could see it.  
  
He smiled back and pulled her close. He kissed her forehead and whispered in her ear, "I love you."  
  
Lily fell a sleep with a smile on her face. A while later, James fell asleep too.  
  
A/N: Done. I have never written this kinda sad story before. Anyways, hoped you liked it! 


End file.
